Time stamp



Jan. 23, 1934. B PHILLlPs `l,944,$95

.TIME STAMP Filed Sept. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY/f//Q ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1934. B. H. PHILLIPS 1,944,695

4TIME STAMP Filed Sept. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Shet 2 nas.

f 43 7/ 39 ,55 l 3.0) l j 30 I F3! I4nllu'lllllllllm 55 ugvgNToR W/yf BY ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1934 PATENT QFFICQE" TIME STAMP Burdette H. Phillips, Endicott, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 25, 1931 Serial No. 565,093

7 Claims.

This invention relates to feeding mechanism for inking ribbons like those used in printing devices such as time stamps and time recorders.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an inking ribbon feeding mechanism in which the direction of the ribbon feed is reversed automatically after a predetermined number of impressions have been made by the printing devices.

A further object is to provide an inking ribbon feeding mechanism which is simple in its construction, has few working parts, and is positive in its action.

Another object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism which reverses the direction of feed Without the use of complicated mechanism such as devices controlled by the tension of the ribbon or by tripping devices fixed to or controlled by the ribbon itself.

A more specific object is to pro-vide novel means for joining the ends of the ribbon to the ribbon spools which means also serves to connect the ribbon spools to the drive shafts therefor in a manner to permit the mechanism to yield or slip without damage to the latter in case the ribbon should become bound or stuck as by becoming completely lunwound from one of the spools before the reversing mechanism takes effect.

A further object is to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism so arranged that the'ribbon may be easily removed and replaced without diiculty and without requiring readjustment of the mechanism after the ribbon has been replaced.

Various objects, advantages, or features of the invention will be more fully pointed out in the following description and claims, or will be apparent after a study thereof and of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the left side of a time stamp embodying the present invention, the cabinet enclosing the time stamp being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the ribbon feeding mechanism and is taken substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ribbon reversing mechanism.

Fig, 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical Section taken on the line 5 5 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner in which the ribbon is attached to the ribbon spool.

The problem of constructing ribbon feeding (Cl. IS7-175) mechanisms for time stamps is a diflicult one owing to the fact that very little space is available for the various mechanisms. It is necessary, in order to reduce the size and weight of the time stamp, to make the various mechanisms as compact and simple as possible, yet they must be both positive and reliable in their action and capable of being used for long periods of time without skilled attention. The amount of space available in which to place the feeding mechanism for the inking ribbon is usually very small, consequently it is necessary that said mechanism be very compact and as simple as possible.

Ribbon feeding mechanisms hitherto provided in time stamps have, for the most part, been controlled by the tension of the ribbon since limitations of space prevent the use of devices fixed to the ribbon for controlling the reversing mechanisms. In some cases the ribbon feed has been reversed by hand. In other cases endless ribbons have been used. The type of ribbon feeding mechanisms controlled by the tension of the ribbon has not proven entirely satisfactory owing to a tendency to stick and fail to work at times and also because there is a point at each end of the ribbon where the ink quickly becomes exhausted due to a tendency to take several impressions from the same part of the ribbon before sufficient tension has been secured in the ribbon to operate the tension device. This means occasional poor impressions from the type wheels and is very annoying. The endless type of ribbon is not satisfactory because it usually has a bulky seam causing poor impressions at times and is diicult to replace quickly and easily.

The present invention aims to provide a ribbon feeding mechanism which reverses the direction of feed practically instantly and before any dry spots can develop at either end of the ribbon due to repeated impressions through the same part of the ribbon. This result is obtained, as will now be explained, by reversing the feed without the use of tension devices and by mechanism effective after a predetermined number of 10o I which rests a base frame 11 supporting near one' end thereof side frames 12 of which there arev -lli vcooperating with the fixed core 20.

time stamp selected to illustrate the invention or to time stamps in general.

The various mechanisms of the time stamp are fully illustrated and described in the patent referred to herein, consequently only such parts thereof as may be involved inthe present invention will be described in detail.

The time stamp is provided with a base on two mounted in spaced relation on the frame 11 and arranged to overhang a considerable part of the top surface of base frame 11 so as to provide an opening 13 permitting insertion of the record or paper to be stamped. The base frame 11 supports the platen operating solenoid 14, the contacts 15 controlling energization of said solenoid to effect printing, and the mechanism for operating contacts 15 including the switch bar 16. The frames 12 support the type wheels for printing the time and dating wheels (not shown), the ribbon feeding mechanism, and the secondary clock movement 17. The cabinet or housing for the time stamp is made in two parts, the lower half enclosing the base frame 11 while the upper half encloses the frames 12 and mechanism carried thereby.

The platen 18 is fixed to the upper end of a vertically slidable plunger 19 guided by a xed core 20 and is secured to a movable plunger 21 The fixed core 20 is secured to a member 22 shaped like an inverted U and fixed to the underside of the frame 11 adjacent the opening in said frame in which the platen 18 moves. The arms of the member 22 extend downwardly on each side of *.the coil of the solenoid 14 and cooperate with a plate 23 secured to the movable plunger 21. The member 22 forms part of the magnetic circuit and tends to concentrate the magnetic lines of force upon the ends of plate 23 thereby augmenting the force applied to the platen 18 by the plunger 21. The plate 23 has a lug 24 cooperating with a notch 25 in one arm of a bell crank 26 pivoted at 27 to the base 11.

Whenever the switch bar 16 is pressed inwardly or to the left as in Fig. 1, the contacts l5 will close thereby energizing solenoid 14 and causing the plunger 21 to be drawn upwardly to effect an impression from the type wheels by platen 18. At the same time the plate 23 will be drawn upwardly and, due to lug 24 and notch 25, the bell crank 26 will be rocked counterclockwise (Fig. 1). This movement of bell crank 26 is utilized to operate the feeding mechanism for the inking ribbon which will presently be described.

All the mechanisms so far described or mentioned, except the ribbon feeding mechanism, are fully illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,798,583 and for a more detailed understanding thereof reference may be made tov said patent.

The feeding mechanism for the inking ribbon is mounted upon a plate 28 secured to the left side frame 12 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The inking ribbon 29 (Fig. 1) is secured at both ends to sleeves 30 driven by shafts 31 to which are secured driving pinions 32 adapted to be driven in a fashion to wind the ribbon 29 thereon in a manner presently to be described. The inking ribbon 29 passes from the lower sleeve (or spool as it will be termed hereinafter) over guide rollers journaled in the side frames 12 at 33, over a similar guide roller journaled at 34 inV frames 12 and thence is wound on the upper spool 30. The portion of the ribbon extending between the rollers journaled at 33 overlies the platen 18 and is between the latter and the type wheels (not shown).

The manner in which the ribbon is secured to the spools 30 constitutes a novel feature of the invention and will now be explained in detail by reference to Figures 2, 5 and 6, which show the construction of the upper right hand spool (Fig.

Since both ribbon spools are alike a description of one will be sufficient to explain the construction of the other. The end of the ribbon has a loop formed therein by a seam 35 and the spool 30 is slipped into said loop. The spool 30 and the loop in the ribbon 29 both have coacting cut-away portions 36, 37, respectively, so that in effect two loops are formed in the end of the ribbon, both said loops extending around the spool 30 at each end of the cut-away portion 36. The ribbon is fastened to the spool 30 by means of a spring clip 38 formed of a piece of sheet metal shaped like a flattened H, the vertical bars of the H being bent as at 39 to form lugs partly encircling the ends of the spool 3() while the cross bar of the H is flat and bent toward the axis of the spool as at 40 so as to project inwardly through the cut-out portions 36, 37, in the spool 3i) and ribbon 29 as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

It will be observed that shaft 31 is provided with a flat portion 41 against which the flat bent portion 40 presses so that ordinarily the shaft 3l, spool 30, and spring clip 38 move as one in winding or unwinding the inking ribbon 29.

If, for any of several reasons, the ribbon 29 should become stuck or bound as when the ribbon has been completely unwound from one spool, the shaft 3l driving the other spool will merely turn idly without further winding the ribbon thereon owing to the flat portion 40 of the spring clip 38 associated with said last named spool slipping out of the hat portion of the shaft 31 driving said spool. Thus no damage to the ribbon feeding mechanism can result when the ribbon becomes bound o1' stuck since the :dat bent portion 40 will merely alternately slip out of and` back into contact with the flat portion 41 in the shaft 3l driving the spool 30 which is winding the ribbon as said shaft turns.

The shafts 31 are provided with spool anges 42 securely held against the hubs of gear pinions 32 by a nut in the end of the shaft 3l, a portion of the hub of said pinion being turned down to a smaller diameter than the rest of the hub as at 43 and journaled in the left frame 12. The ends of the shafts 31 opposite pinions 32 are turned to a smaller diameter and journaled in supporting brackets 44 removably secured to the right frame 12 to permit removal of the spool 3i) when the ribbon is to be replaced. The bracket 44 is fully described in Patent No. 1,798,583 and has a spool flange 45 fixed thereto for compell- Ving the ribbon to wind evenly on the spool 30.

rIhe operation cf replacing the inking ribbon when worn out is a simple one. The brackets 44 are removed, the sleeves or spools 30 slipped off the shafts 31, and the clips 38 removed. The spools 30 may then be slipped out of the loops in the ends of the old ribbon and one of -them inserted in the loop formed in the loose end of the new ribbon and thereafter the clip 38 replaced by pressing the spool 30 between the prongs 39, taking care of course to see that the cut-away portions 36, 37, in the sleeve 30 and ribbon 29 are opposite each other. The ribbon spools 30 may then be slipped back on the shafts 31 and the brackets 44 replaced.

lThe mechanism forv feeding the inking ribbon and reversing the direction of feed'when'the end v of the ribbon-is reached-comprises -me`chanism -mountedon the plate 28 secured to the left side frame l2. Journaled in a stud 46 carried bythe plate 28-is a gear.471meshing with twopinions 48 loosely mounted in the ends of `a rockl lever`49 Y also loosely mounted on stud-46. When the rock A.lever-...49 is in the vpositionshown in Fig.v 1 the right-hand pinion 48 meshes with and turns the adjacent gear 32, thereby driving 'the upper righthand ribbon spool 30 in a direction to '..wind the -r-ibbon'rthereon. On the'other hand, when the -lever..49 is-rocked counterclockwise (Fig. 1) such .f movement will bring lthe left-hand pinion 48 into -mesh'with the lower left-hand pinion' 32 so as .to drive the latter in a direction to wind the ribbon on thelower left-hand spool. 'It will be seen, therefore,-'that'the direction in which the ribbon is feddepends on the position of the rock lever/19. The gear 47 is turned an increment each time vthe Asolenoid 14 ,is operated to effect an impres- `sionfrom the type wheels by means of a rock lever50loosely journaled on the stud l46 and carrying a spring-urged pawl .51 pivoted there- `to which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel -52 secured to the right side of the gear wheel 47. One end of a link 53 has a pin and slot connection at 54 to an arm of bell crank 26 while the other end is pivoted to a stud in rock lever '50 carrying the pawl 51, the spring 55 actuating said-pawl being anchored to the right end of the link 353 adjacent the pawl 51 (Fig. 4). Normally ythe rock lever 50 is held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and '4 of the drawings by means of v a spring 56 so that the nose of pawl 51 abuts a stop which has a tendency to force the nose of the-pawl -51 into the interdental spaces in ratchet 52 toprevent movement of thelatter. o AWhen the solenoid 14 is energized the bell crank 26 will first be rocked counterclockwise by the solenoid V14 to take up the slack in the pin A and slot connection 54 and thereafter will draw the link 53 to the left a distance sucient to -rock the lever 50 clockwise just far enough to withdraw thenose of pawl 51 from the tooth in ratchet 52 previously engaged by said pawl and cause the llatter to Vdrop into engagement with the next adjacent tooth in the ratchet. As soon as the solenoid 14 is deenergized the bell crank 26 will rock clockwise to its former position, and atthe same time spring 56 will rock the lever 50 counterclockwise back to its former position thereby feeding the ratchet 52 one tooth distance ina counterclockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 4). As a consequence, the gear 47 fixed to said ratchet will be likewise fed in the same direction and through one of the pinions 32, will turn the associated shaft 31 thereby drivingone of the ji ribbon spools 30 a distance suicient to feed a fresh portion of the ribbon 29 to the printing zone.

lThe rocklever 49 is adapted to be rocked automatically after a predetermined number of imprints have been made through the medium of a member 57 pivoted at 58 to the plate 28 supporting the ribbon feeding mechanism. The member 57 has ahorizontally extending arm having a slotted connection to the stud 48a on which LS is pivotally mounted the right-hand gear 4S and also has a downwardly extending arm having a nose 59 cooperating with a cam 60 loosely mounted on the stud 46. The cam 60 is integral with a second ratchet wheel 61 also loosely mounted i5 on the stud adjacent the ratchet wheel 52, the

both ratchets 52,61, but normally 'cannot drop 'far enough to engage the teethfinlratchet y61 'be moved 'step-by-step under the .influence ofA vsolenoid 14. diametrically opposite pairsof teeth intheratchratchet :wheel 61 having a `slightlysmaller outside fdiameter than the root :diameteriof the that its nose is -adapted'to engage theteeth-of owing to the fact that vthe root diameter of vratchet y52 is greater'than'theioutside"diameter of ratchet 61,- consequently only-ratchet- 52 'will 85 It will be observed from Fig. l'4` that `to drop far enough to permit saidnos'eltoen'gage a tooth in the ratchet liand turnsaid-'ratohet one tooth space.

Thecam 60 has an abrupt drop 63 and `amore gradual rise 64 diametrically opposite.V thereto Aso that during one half `revolutionof the cam the horizontal arm of member- 571will 'be held `upas in Fig. 4 while during the other :half "revolution said arm will be loweredasinFig. 11. Owing'togg the pin and slot connection of 'the horizontal arm of member 57 to the stud 148a=carrying the right-hand pinion 48J'the latter Vwillibe in mesh with the adjacent gear 'during onehalf revolution of cam 60 while during'the other half revo- 1105 lution of cam 60 the left-hand pinion 48 willbe in mesh with the adjacent Vgear 32.

The operation of the parts just described will now be given in detail, assuming 'to begin with that their'relationis asindicatedinFig. 14. When 1210 the solenoid 14 is energized Ithe lbell crank 26 `will be rocked thereby .taking'up theslackin the pin and slot connection 54 and thereafter drawing the-link 53 to the left (Fig. v4) causing 'the pawl 51 Vto drop into contact 'withithe lnext ad- .1215 jacent tooth to the one it formerly engaged. The spring 56 will be tensioned during 'the leftward movement of the link 53 and, when'the 'solenoid 14 `is deenergized and the `bell crank 26 rro'c'ks back to its normal position `*as shown in VFig. 1,120 said spring 56 will rock the lever '50 counterclockwise thereby feeding the ratchet '52 fone tooth space in a counterclockwise direction. Repeated operation of solenoid 14 will cause Vthe ratchet wheel 52 to be moved around step-by-stepin Ithe 1.25 foregoing fashion until the 'pawl 51 `drops 'into one of the deep notches 62 infsa'id ratchet whereupon 'the ratchet wheel 6l 'will likewise be :fed a tooth space thereby advancing the cam '60 in a counterclockwise direction andattlre same time turning gear 47 to wind the ribbon on the llower left-hand spool so as to feed the ribbon to the left.

After a predetermined number of impressions have been ,made by operation of solenoid 14 the cam will have turned far enough in a counterclockwise direction to cause Ythe rise 64 in said cam to engage the nose 59 in the member 57 thereby rocking the latter clockwise and depressing the right-hand end of lever 49 so as to cause lthe right-hand vpinion 48 to mesh with the adjacent gear 32. For the next half revolution of the cam 60 the gear 47 and pinion 48 will drive the upper right-hand ribbon spool associated with the right-hand 'gear 32 in a counterclockwise direction thereby feeding the ribbon 29 to the left. At the end of this half revolution of the cam 60 the abrupt drop in said cam will cause the member 57 to rock back to its original position under the iniiuence of a spring 65 and, 15o

as a consequence, the left-hand gear pinion 48 will again be thrown into mesh with the adjacent gear 32. During the following half revolution of the cam 60 the left-hand ribbon spool 30 will be again turned in a counterclockwise direction thereby feeding the ribbon 29 to the left (Fig. 1).

It will be seen that the direction of feed of the ribbon is controlled by the cam 60, the righthand spool being rotated to feed the ribbon 29 to the right during one half revolution of the cam while the left-hand ribbon spool 30 will be turned during the following half revolution to feed the ribbon 29 to the left. By making the ribbon slightly longer than is necessary this reversal in the direction of feed of the ribbon will take place practicallyA instantaneously and therefore repeated impressions will be avoided at the ends of the ribbon. In order to prevent backward rotation of the ratchet wheels 52, 61, there is provided a spring pressed non-return pawl 66 pivoted at 67 to the plate 28.

It is desirable that means be provided to prevent overthrowing of the ratchets 52, 61, owing to the fact that the spring 56 is likely to effect avery quickreturn of the lever assisted byl k the restoring of bell crank 26 which helps tov make the action of the pawl 51 positive. For this purpose there is provided the stop 68 at-v tached tothe plate 28, the stop having a nose projecting in. front of the nose of pawl 51 sothat said pawl will be jammed into the teeth in the ratchets 52, 6l thereby preventing overthrowr of said ratchets due to their momentum.

The present invention provides a very simple and effective mechanism for reversing the direction of feed of the inking ribbon and has the advantage that reversal of the ribbon takes effect without the use of any tension devices. Such devices, as was pointed out hereinbefore, tend to cause dry spots in the ribbon due to repeated impressions through the same portions of the ribbon near the ends thereof owing to the fact that the ribbon usually becomes fully unwound from one of the spools and several impressions are required to tension the ribbon sufficiently to operate the tensioning device to effect reversal of the direction of feed.

Another feature of the invention is that the mechanism automatically takes care of any misadjustment of the parts when replacing the rib- Y bon, as for instance would happen if the ribbon is replaced when the nose 59 is only half way between the portions of cam 60 which are designated 63, 64, respectively, in cam 60 since the yielding manner of attachment of the ribbon 29 to the sleeves 30permits the shafts 31 to turn idly without tearing the ribbon or breaking it.

It will, of course, be obvious that in such an event the type wheels would make repeated impressions through the same area in the ribbon until the cam 60 had advanced far enough to reverse the ribbon and thereafterthe ribbon would be fed properly. Should it happen that the ribbon has been improperly replaced so that repeated impressions occur through the same part of the ribbon, as just described, the fact that successive impressions are weak or not clear in spite of the fact that a new ribbon has been installed should be a warning to the operator that the parts are slightly out of time and it will be a simple matter to remove the upper half of the cabinet or housing and feed the ribbon by hand as by turning one or the other of the pinions 32 manually until the ribbon has been properly adjusted.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understod that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be madey by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In combination, a ribbon driving shaft having a flat portion, a ribbon spool loosely mounted on said shaft and having a cut-away portion adapted to face the flat portion, and means for securing the end of the ribbon to said spool comprising a member having lugs extending partially around the spool and over the ribbon to secure the latter to the spool, said clip having a portion thereof extending through the cut-away portion in the spool and in yielding contact with the flat portion of the shaft whereby to provide a yielding driving connection between the ribbon spool and the driving shaft.

2. In combination, a ribbon spool comprising a tubular member having a cut-away portion and adapted to be held in a loop formed in the end of the ribbon, said ribbon having a cut-away portion opposite the cut-away portion in the spool, a shaft rotatably supporting the tubular member and having a flattened portion, and means for fastening the looped yportion of the ribbon to the tubular member, said means including securing lugs extending around said member and over the loop in the ribbon and a bent portion extending through the cnt-away portions in the ribbon and tubular member into yielding contact with the flattened portions of the shaft whereby to provide a yielding driving connection between the shaft and spool.

3. In combination, a ribbon storing member upon which the ribbon may be wound, a winding member therefor upon which the storing member is mounted for movement relative to the winding member, and means for securing the ribbon to the storing member and having a yielding connection to the winding member whereby to permit said relative movement when movement of the ribbon in a winding direction is prevented.

4. In combination, a ribbon feeding member, a ribbonstoring member freely mounted on the first named member and having an opening therein adjacent the first named member, and an element for securing one end of the ribbon to the storing member, said element having a part thereof arranged to clamp the ribbon to the storing member and a part arranged to extend through the opening in the storing member and yieldingly connect the latter to the feeding member for drive by the latter.

5. In combination, a driving element, a ribbon storing member mounted on the driving element and adapted to move relative to the latter, and an element for connecting the ribbon to said storing member and having a portion thereof cooperating with the storing member to clamp the end of the ribbon to the storing member and having a portion adapted to yieldingly connect the storing member and driving element Vto resist L ef relative movement between the latter and the storing member and permit the driving element to effect winding of the ribbon on the storing member, said last named portion being adapted to yield to permit said relative movement when liii) excessive tension is appried to the ribbon by the driving element.

6. In combination, a ribbon feeding element, a ribbon spool loosely mounted on the feeding element, and a removable clip for securing the ribbon to the spool, said clip having spring fingers adapted to partially embrace the spool to clamp the ribbon to the spool and a portion adapted to bear against the ribbon feeding element to yieldingly connect the spool to the feeding element for drive by the latter, said portion permitting the feeding element and driving element to slip relative to each other when excessive tension is applied to the ribbon.

7. A clip for attaching inking ribbons to their spools comprising a sheet metal structure having a portion thereof deformed to form spring fingers 'or lugs adapted to partially encircle the hub of 

